Category Archives: Real Weddings

In just a few moments, my bestie’s older brother, Mark, will become Stefanie’s husband and Hailey’s stepfather on this gorgeous Spring afternoon. What a wonderful day for such a wonderful celebration. Congratulations to the happy couple — and the happy new family!

On Sunday, my longtime friend Sam and her new husband Isaac capped off their whirlwind romance by exchanging vows against the picturesque backdrop of the Halifax River. Only a few close friends were in attendance. Afterward, they celebrated a low-key reception with a few more friends at a local restaurant, then quite literally, drove off into the sunset.

I don’t usually do this, but I simply must post a link to the photos from Steph & Rob’s New Year’s Eve wedding. A favorite guilty pleasure of mine is perusing wedding photographer’s websites (frequently while I should be getting productive things done!), and I always like seeing friends’ photos.

The photos from Steph and Rob’s wedding, shot by iDropPhoto out of Fresno, CA, made me really happy! I hope you enjoy the unique details and great photography skills as much as I did.

I met Steph several years ago when I roomed with her leading up to a mutual friend’s wedding (in which she, memorably, fought — and lost — a hard-won fight for the bride’s bouquet). We hung out together at the bachelorette party, at which there was only one married woman: the bride’s own mother. Since then, the bride and the other four of us have all gotten married. Tonight, at the stroke of midnight when 2010 becomes 2011, Steph will make it 5 for 5 in a peacock-themed New Year’s Eve bash in California.

This past weekend, on a Saturday morning that couldn’t have been any more beautiful, one of my best friends, Danielle, married Brett at his family’s home. It was the first backyard wedding I’ve ever been involved in, and I loved the relaxed vibe, the personal setting (the groom’s mother and step-father were also married in this backyard) and personal details (the bride’s mother made the cake; the ring bearer’s pillow was made from the mother of the bride’s wedding dress; the bride’s necklace was made from pearls given to her by her late grandfather), and the lovely backdrops — a wooden bridge, palm trees, a pond. The wedding went off almost without a hitch. What a wonderful day!

Here are a few of the photos my husband (and I, once my bridesmaid duties were done) snapped.

And most important — the happy couple couldn’t have been happier! Now they’re off on a honeymoon in North Carolina, making the most of the crisp fall weather with lots of hiking in the mountains. Congratulations, and many joyful years to come!

~ Laura

PS: Danielle makes another appearance in this blog. Check out the blog header photo — she’s bridesmaid # 4 from the right.

This weekend, my husband flew solo at the wedding of his childhood best friend, Ross, in Arkansas. But he didn’t get lost in the crowd: fewer than 20 people watched Ross and Kim exchange vows, and then they celebrated through the afternoon poolside, at a family member’s home, until the newlyweds left to catch their honeymoon flight to England.